This underestimated feature separates the best leader from the rest Businessman

When the world volatile world is tempting to double what is known: performance metrics, hard data and proven business book. However, this instinct often comes at the cost of skills leaders right now: creatively think about the unknown to the unknown.

For decades, C-Suite data has been driven. Yet on the market shaped by disruption of artificial intelligence, economic volatility and eroding of customer confidence, companies that rely only on the logical and analytical risk that are overtaken by visionary compartments. In fact, studies show a strong correlation between creative innovations and financial performance.

As the leader of the Society for the Technology Society, we had my team a chance to work with some of the most amazing creatives in Hollywood – the kinds of people who dream of a napkin universe. Their unlimited imagination is inspiring, but creativity in leadership cannot be just above the idea for themselves.

What the leaders need today is creative intelligence: the ability to think laterally inside the restriction, ask sharper questions and make courageous but practical decisions that push the business forward. And it is quickly to become a prerequisite for navigating an uncharted territory.

Good news? Creative Intelligence is a skill that can be developed individual and organizationally. Here’s how.

Stay curious and open to nuance

Today’s leaders need more than good instincts; They must be able to see the surrounding corners, find out what no one else sees, and challenge their own assistance. Research shows that the most innovative leaders spend up to 30% of their day by exploring new ideas. This often shrinks to notice what others overlook and look for ways to act on it.

I often see this ability (or its lack) to appear in the store. Too many people get stuck on their own unique target and miss nuance inside and forth. On the other hand, the view of the other side examines how they can think about their situation, often leads to a significantly better result.

Vicki Medevec, an expert in negotiations and professor Northwestern University, has built its high negotiating framework around this idea. One of its key concepts is Battna – the best alternative to the negotiated outrum. Understanding what matters, on the other hand, included what the agreements agree, gives you a strong insight. When you can offer an axy value with respect to their alternatives, you create space for real movement.

The key is that data in itself cannot help you plan these kinds of opportunities. This requires again motivation and willingness to solve problems with unconventional thoughts.

Related: 12 things first leader must succeed

Suggest personal practice of creativity

We were all born wildly creative, but the author Ken Robinson watched great, many of us lose their spark as we grow. In my experience, it even less transmits to the corporate world.

I was lucky: I grew up in a household where curiosity and unconventional thinking were supported. But the way we have improved this quality over time.

Bill Gates is known for its “Think Weeks” – time spent solo by exploring new ideas. My version is a hike, a walk or shorter time blocks devoted to resetting my thought process. I also look at books or podcasts that are freely adjacent to the challenge, and I will talk to my colleagues and subordinates inside and outside the business. The diversity of input is the key to questioning my point of view.

Borders can also help. Whenever I work on a complicated problem, I go through a mental checklist: Is the safety of someone? What are the legal, financial or reputation impacts? Who is influenced and how? Defining these margins liberates me to think more expand – proof that restrictions often focus on innovation than suppression.

Cultivate the culture of creativity

Employees also need a structure and freedom for creative thinking.

Changing the environment – and adding physical movement – can be significant creativity. This is one of the reasons why we go to the lead several times each year outside the place that allows us to remove our functional hats, get off everyday and look at a larger picture. It is worth it: these two days are more progress than we would get from the months spread out in the office.

Throughout the organization, we also try to normalize thinking aloud and ask what IIFS and let good ideas penetrate if the meeting needs to continue. Not every moment was innovative, but creating creativity culture means stimulating lateral thinking and strategic reflection and avoiding immediate shutdown of thoughts.

If this is done effectively, it may pay off: in one survey, more than 85% of respondents said that business is more financially successful in investing.

Related: Is AI a risk of creativity? Thewer is not that simple

Think of shiny objects

There is a misconception that innovation must always be top. In fact, some of the most valuable breakthroughs occur in the least charming corners of the company.

For example, we have shaved the months of working with a back-end simply by creating better budgeting tools and legal agreements.

Sometimes breaking forces can also bring strong results. In the recent merger of our consumer electronics and cars divisions, we have unlocked new opportunities with our existing IP. The engineers who have never worked suddenly paired, observed overlapping, and stained concepts that we never thought. This did not come from new talents or instruments; It came from the change, who is talking to whom.

Creative intelligence often comes to linking dots in a way that no one else thought to unlock the flows of other values. The key is to resist shiny and new and consider instructed how you can create an impact with what you already have.

Balance Creativity with Performing

It is easy to reject creativity as a luxury, especially if you are busy burning fires. For many leaders, especially in smaller societies, practical reality leaves a small space for ideas.

One solution? First optimize your business foundations. When your operations are going smoothly, you release time and cognitive bandwidth to make you think more creatively. This begins with a systematic process that releases your attention, streamlines workflows and delegates low -value tasks. This is one area where the use of AI can help, and some studies suggest that it can increase productivity up to 40%.

Creativity in itself not growing societies. Great ideas need structure and tracking. On the contrary, sources applied without creative intelligence rarely lead to meaningful results. It is a company that can marry with these two – extensive thinking and fast design – that get forward. Because in the landscape defined by change, the only risk greater than notoring can simply do more of the same.